Dark Matter and Dark Energy in the Universe

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For the first time, we have a plausible, complete accounting of matter and energy in the Universe. Expressed a fraction of the critical density it goes like this: neutrinos, between 0.3% and 15%; stars, 0.5%; baryons (total), 5%; matter (total), 40%; smooth, dark energy, 60%; adding up to the critical density. This accounting is consistent with the inflationary prediction of a flat Universe and defines three dark-matter problems: Where are the dark baryons? What is the nonbaryonic dark matter? What is the nature of the dark energy? The leading candidate for the (optically) dark baryons is diffuse hot gas; the leading candidates for the nonbaryonic dark matter are slowly moving elementary particles left over from the earliest moments (cold dark matter), such as axions or neutralinos; the leading candidates for the dark energy involve fundamental physics and include a cosmological constant (vacuum energy), a rolling scalar field (quintessence), and light, frustrated topological defects.